Body supported floodlight



J1me 1951 F. L. CAGGIANO BODY SUPPORTED FLOODLIGHT Filed July 25, 1946 INVENTOR. F/O/PE L. CAGG/AA/O Patented June 5, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BODY SUPPORTED FLOODLIGHT Fiore L. Caggiano, New York, N. Y.

Application July 25, 1946, Serial No. 686,203

1 Claim. 1

The present invention relates to portable floodlighting apparatus and, more particularly, to such apparatus which may be worn on the body of the operator, for use in photographic or other work requiring illumination.

It is an object of the present invention to provide floodlighting apparatus of the character described which will automatically throw the illumination in a constant direction relative to the direction faced by the operator, so that the area of illumination will change as the operator changes his position.

It is another object of the present invention to provide floodlighting apparatus of the character described which will cast its illumination without producing any glare in the operator's eyes or otherwise interfere with his vision.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide floodlighting apparatus of the character described which will be convenient to use and will not interfere with the operators action or unduly limit his movement.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide fioodlighting apparatus of the character described which may be readily and easily adjusted to spread or narrow the area illuminated and otherwise adjusted to the convenience of the operator.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide apparatus of the character described which may be compactly stowed away when not in use and may be easily and conveniently transported and stored.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide floodlighting apparatus of the character described which may, if desired, also be used in the conventional manner, by mounting upon a fixed support.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide floodlighting apparatus of the character described which are of simple and economical construction, which are durable, which are simple and easy to set up and manipulate, and which require no training or practice to use.

The foregoing and other advantages and superiorities of the floodlighting apparatus of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the accompanying drawing in which of limiting the invention to the details therein shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of one embodiment of a floodlighting apparatus of the present invention, shown as worn by an operator, as seen from the rear;

Fig. 2 is another view of the same, as seen from the side;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, detailed view of the apparatus, illustrating a preferred manner of securing the lighting fixture portion to the supporting yoke and also the manner in which the fixture may be mounted on a fixed base; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, detailed View of the apparatus, illustrating additional means for securing and steadying the fixture portion of the apparatus to the supporting yoke.

Referring more specifically to the accompanying drawings, the apparatus of the present invention may comprise a body engaging portion, preferably in the form of a yoke adapted to be worn and supported on the shoulders of an operator and comprising a belt, [0, and a pair of shoulder pieces, H, connected to the belt, preferably in spaced relation at the front side thereof and in convergent position at the rear thereof.

The belt, [0, may fit snugly about the body and may be continuous or may be provided with suitable buckle elements, not thought necessary to be illustrated. The belt I0 and shoulder pieces ll may be made of webbing, leather, or other suitable material, and they may be connected to one another in any suitable manner, as by stitching, stapling or riveting, or other conventional means.

Secured to the back of the yoke, preferably to both the belt l0 and shoulder pieces II, at their point of convergence, may be a rigid metal plate 12 secured in position by the rivets I3 which may also serve to connect the belt and shoulder pieces at that point.

While the illuminating or fioodlighting portion or fixture of the apparatus, hereinafter described, may be secured directly to the base plate I2, I prefer to have the same removably connected thereon, for ease and convenience of packing for storage and transportation. For that purpose, the floodlighting fixture of the apparatus may comprise a second rigid, metallic plate I 4, provided with a plurality of suitably spaced keyhole shaped slots l5, which may fit over and be secured by the pins l6. having the retaining heads H, which are correspondingly arranged on the yoke plate I 2.

The fixture may also comprise a box IE, secured to the plate M, in which may be arranged, in a manner readily apparent to those skilled in the art and not'thought necessary to be illustrated in the drawing, a pair of electrical terminals. Such terminals may include a conventional switch, likewise not thought necessary to be illustrated in the drawings, and indicated by the toggle arm 19, projecting from the box.

Secured to the box l8 and plate H, in any suitable manner, are a pair of upwardly divergent arms 20, in which are disposed electrical wires which are connected, at one end, to the electrical 7 terminals within the box l8, in a manner readily apparent to those skilled in the art and at the other end to a socket 2|, carried on the free ends of the arms 20, in which may be arranged bulbs 22.

Preferably, the arms 20 may be adjustably flexible, both in longitudinal direction as well as in a transverse direction, to enable theconvergenceof the light beams from the-bulbs While this result. may be attained by provision of one or. more joints in each. of, said arms, I prefer to accomplish the same result by making the arms 20 .of goose-neck cable, which incorporates the electrical wiring and may also be adjusted, if desired, as to height, as well asv to angle, to thereby accommodate the apparatus to varying heights of operators, so that the light bulbs 22, when the apparatusis worn, will be positioned above shoulder height and below eye level.

While, where the arms are of goose-neck cable, it is practical to have the sockets 2i connected in continuous alinement with the arms, I prefen. for greater convenience and ease ofoperation, to .have' the sockets 2| connected to the arms at right angles thereto, as illustrated.

The apparatus may, preferably, be provided with a'cable permanently connected to the electrical terminals within the box [8, which cable 23 may be of suitable lengthto permit the wearer of the apparatus sufficient freedom of movement, and it maybe provided at its ends with a conventional plug or other suitable'electrical connection, for connection into a circuit.

The plate I4 may also have secured thereto,

preferably below the box l8, a block 24, having on port; as by threading on the reduced threaded end 26 of the stand 27.

In==order to prevent the swaying of the arms '20 during use, I may provide upon the back portions-of the shoulder pieces H, approximately midway of their height, arm engaging means to engage and support the arms and to hold them steady and upright in position. Such arm engaging'meansmay comprise a short strap 28 suitably secured to. each shoulder piece H transversely thereof,-as by a rivet 29, with its ends extending to each side of the shoulder piece, each end provided with a fastening element, such as the cooperating snap fasteners 39. The ends of the strap 28 may then be bent about the arm 20, and the, fastening elements interengaged, to hold the arm tightly in place against the respective shoulder piece.

This completes the description of one preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention. It will be readily apparent from such description that the apparatus may be very conveniently worn by the operator of a photographic camera or other tool or device to illuminate his field of vision or operation; that the wearer may readily obtain proper illumination of a variable and shifting field, automatically as he moves or changes his position; that the apparatus is disposed out of the operators way, not interfering with the action of his hands or feet nor with his vision; that it may be readily put on and taken off; and that it may be compactly packed for storing and transportation; and that it is desirable and convenient for the purposes enumerated and for other uses and purposes which will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art;

It will also be apparent from the foregoing description to all who are skilled in the art that many modifications and variations in the structural details of the apparatus described may be made, without the use of the inventive faculties and within the spirit and scope of the invention. I, therefore, desire to be protected for all such possible variations and modifications that may come within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claim hereto appended.

What I claim is:

Apparatus of the character described comprising a. body yoke, including a belt and. shoulder pieces secured to the said belt, a rigid plate having hook elements thereon secured at the backof said yoke, a second plate having means for engaging said hook elements thereon, secured on the said first plate, a pair of goose-neck cable arms secured to said second plate and extending diagonally upwardly therefrom to. a height above the shoulders of a wearers body, means on the said shoulder pieces for engaging the said arms, a socket adapted to receive a light bulb secured at the end of each arm, an electrical terminal including a switch mounted on the said second plate, said sockets in electrical connection with the said terminal, and means for connecting said terminal in an electric circuit.

FIORE L. CAGGIANO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 128,505 Simpson July 29, 1941 295,982 Conwell. Apr. 1, 1884 443,212 Smith Dec. 23, 1890 1,234,607 Berkowitz July 24, 1917 1,777,379 Powell et a1. Oct. 7, 1930 2,230,458 Hummert Feb. 4, 1941 2,275,765 I-Iummert et al Mar. 10, 1942 2,361,414 Ramsey Oct. 31, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 639,217 Germany Dec. 1,' 1936 

